2022/05/08 by J. E. Pineda, Pineda, Jaime E., D. Arzoumanian +19 · 3 citations
Chemistry · Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA) #FOS: Physical sciences #Molecular Spectroscopy and Structure #Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR)
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2205.03935
openalex publication_date 2022/05/08 · openalex created_date 2022/05/22 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The study of the development of structures on multiple scales in the cold\ninterstellar medium has experienced rapid expansion in the past decade, on both\nthe observational and the theoretical front. Spectral line studies at\n(sub-)millimeter wavelengths over a wide range of physical scales have provided\nunique probes of the kinematics of dense gas in star-forming regions, and have\nbeen complemented by extensive, high dynamic range dust continuum surveys of\nthe column density structure of molecular cloud complexes, while dust\npolarization maps have highlighted the role of magnetic fields. This has been\naccompanied by increasingly sophisticated numerical simulations including new\nphysics (e.g., supernova driving, cosmic rays, non-ideal magneto-hydrodynamics,\nradiation pressure) and new techniques such as zoom-in simulations allowing\nmulti-scale studies. Taken together, these new data have emphasized the\nanisotropic growth of dense structures on all scales, from giant ISM bubbles\ndriven by stellar feedback on \∼50-100 pc scales through parsec-scale\nmolecular filaments down to <0.1 pc dense cores and <1000 au protostellar\ndisks. Combining observations and theory, we present a coherent picture for the\nformation and evolution of these structures and synthesize a comprehensive\nphysical scenario for the initial conditions and early stages of star and disk\nformation.\n